The world of Labour Relations (LR) can often be an intimidating place for Human Resources (HR) Professionals. The intimidation stems from many HR Professionals not yet being exposed to the process nor the language of LR.
The Government of New Brunswick has provided a great overview of what they call Industrial Relations (IR). You will see, in Canada, IR and LR are used synonymously to represent a unionized workplace.
It takes a novice HR Professional through the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about LR such as:
- Certification process
- Collective agreements
- Grievances and arbitration
- The role of the provincial labour boards
Click here to read the full resource.
Of course this is a brief review, but it is a great starting point.
Once an HR Professional has learned the basics of the LR process they can turn their attention to the Language of LR. Luckily the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) has developed another excellent resource.
Click here to read the CUPE Glossary of LR terms.
All HR Professionals should familiarize themselves with the basic process and the terms of LR. This is a fantastic starting point in understanding the complex world of LR.
Discussion Questions
- Why would knowing LR terms be beneficial to a new HR Professional?
- If you had to give a 5 minute presentation on the LR terms where would you start?
- What terms would you prioritize?